Woodbridge Pinot Noir 2005 By Robert Mondavi

This is 100% French Pinot Noirwoodbridge pinot noir sourced from vineyards near Limoux in the Languedoc region of southern France—not a region known for Pinot Noir, historically. After harvest, the grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks, with malolactic fermentation. The young wine was shipped for "development," as the Web site puts it, to the Woodbridge Winery in California for aging in American and French oak.

At first taste, about twenty minutes after we opened the bottle, this was disappointing. It was tightly unrevealing, barely recognizable as Pinot Noir, and not really even a little bit interesting. We had another glass a little more than an hour later, and it was much improved. The aroma, previously barely present, was plum-like, and the wine had the more typical licorice and black pepper spice with just a hint of bitter orange. It's a lovely wine in the glass, by the way; a deep purple with crimson highlights. It's a 12.5% ABV.

This was a bargain grocery store purchase; it wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't buy it again. It was a $5.99 purchase for a 1.5 liter bottle, but I think I'd rather look to a California or Oregon Pinot Noir, and even pay more for a better wine. It has made me curious about the Sutter Home Pinot Noir.